Avoid overstuffing your news release with too many keywords in the headline and body. This is also poor Search Engine Optimisation practice and can lead to penalties in terms of rank when publishing in the digital realm.

You use industry jargon to your detriment

Using industry speak can sometimes be a turn off, if readers can’t connect the jargon with the story. Be cautious in the use of such technical words and expressions – rather find a simpler, effective way of communicating such to the intended audience.

You don’t have adequate follow up news

Distribute your news in front of your audience over the appropriate timeline.

Your press release isn’t newsworthy

Make sure your press release contains something that journalists will be interested in writing about. There should also be no question of the value to your target audience.

Your press release isn’t getting into the right hands

Make sure your press release is getting into the hands of copywriters or journalists that are on a large distribution list, and if possible who know you or have written about you in the past.

You don’t coordinate effectively

Make sure all stakeholders are informed timeously and keep copywriters and journalists updated with regards to “what is” as well as “what is to come”.

You aren’t ready for a follow up from a journalist

Always be confident and have necessary answers ready. It is acceptable to hold back answers and only notify journalists who are willing to ask questions,

if needs be.

You leave the journalist with too much work to do

Give journalists and copywriters the full newsworthy content of the story. They may not have time to dig stories that are not immediately interesting to the public or your target market.

You don’t maximise your chances of securing editorial links

A link from one of the biggest newspapers can certainly delight journalists and readers alike.

You’re forgetting to fine tune your publication

Strive to always provide ready-to-publish work that ideally goes well and beyond “the norm”. After all it should stand out effectively as opposed to blend into the plethora of news that’s already out there. It goes without saying that the standard of spelling, grammar, length of the article, structure and so on must be optimal. In this way, you also create a solid reputation for yourself and newspapers would gladly publish stories from you in future.